Three French sports
stars were among 10 people killed when two helicopters filming a reality show
collided in Argentina on Monday, according to officials.
Adventure Line
Productions confirmed the "terrible" accident, saying the collision
took place shortly after take off as filming was getting underway on the second
season of survival-show "Dropped. "
Olympic swimming gold
medalist Camille Muffat, long-distance sailor Florence Arthaud and boxing
champion Alexis Vastine - "who did so much to shine for France" -
were killed along with five other French nationals, the French presidency said
in a statement.
"The sudden deaths
of our countrymen is a cause of immense sadness, " the presidency said in
a statement.
The International
Olympic Committee said it was "shocked" by the sad news and would fly
the Olympic flag at half-mast for three days at its headquarters.
"The world of
sport and the Olympic family have lost three of their key members, " it
said in a statement. "They were all not only champions in their sport but
also contributed greatly as role models. "
TF1 - the channel
airing the show - said on its website that along with two Argentine pilots of
the helicopters. The network expressed its sadness over the accident, saying in
a separate statement that it is united with the families of the victims and
those close to them at such a painful time.
"We have no
details on the exact circumstances at the moment, " TF1 chief executive
Nonce Paolini later said, according to Reuters. "All I can say at the
moment is that we are in a state of complete shock. "
Authorities said it was
still unclear what caused the accident in the rugged western province of La
Rioja near the Andes mountains, according to Reuters. Images from the scene
showed large flames, smoldering wreckage and thick black smoke.
Muffat, 25, abruptly
retired last summer, partly due to a disagreement with a coach. She won gold in
the 2012 Olympic 400m freestyle, silver in the 2012 Olympic 200m free and
bronze in the 2013 World Championships 200m free.
DAVID GRAY / Reuters,file
France's Camille Muffat
poses with her silver medal on the podium after the women's 200m freestyle final
during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Vastine, 28, won an
Olympic boxing bronze in 2008. Arthaud, 57, in 1990 secured the record for the
fastest solitary crossing of the North Atlantic, according to her publisher's
website.
"Dropped" is
a popular reality show in France in which eight sports stars are dropped into
the wilderness.
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